I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

(Sorry Maya Angelou, I just love the title!  Let's hope I don't get sued for this)! =)

Trapped but I’m not because America told me that I am free
Free to whose vocabulary? How does America know what freedom means to me?
As Americans, we live in this world, we never made it. We merely created it.
But who patted us on the back and said it was a job well done?
Who gave us the right to victory? Who died and said we won?
I am an American. And not because America says so. I am an American because the Americans said so.
But this nation is as one under God. And if you are not for it then you are against it.
But are you to drop all your beliefs to be an accepted American citizen?
Who died and made America accurate?
Who lied and made America’s manuscript? The commandments?
What are we to do with it?
All but fall. Reach for the stars. But how are we to grasp what can’t be reached?
They want us to teach others
when none of us can read.
The blind leading
the blind.
The scared leading the meek.
And if I’m busy teaching everyone else, who’s gonna teach me?
God bless America. Land that I love. But what about the b
ar pubs and the narcotic clubs?
Does he bless those too?
Because Americans say that he shouldn’t and America is the truth.
America told me if I don’t like it then leave. I’m only scared of death America. Are you threating me? You turn so quickly. What have you done
that’s so great. All but silence hate.
Then we deal with war soldiers with stale chips on their shoulders—well; that is the ones that are lucky enough to move forward.
Sons with no brothers, Fathers with no sins. All is forgiven because America always wins.
I don’t support the bad habit, but I support the addict what kind of citizen would it be of me to say I didn’t have it? What’s a few dimes and nickels but quarters for my thoughts?
You wanna escape the world you can’t afford to live in at my cost? By all means; go ahead and get lost. You live in America and you know what that means. You are free to be, free to drink, free to sink into a world that doesn’t shun you so hard. This is America and you are so free. But you know that can’t be, that’s why you insert your freedom in your body, in the alley, secretly.
But that’s neither here nor there. In fact it’s everywhere. But I live in America and if it doesn’t affect me then it is inexistent. Until it hits home. Then nonexistence sits in and I haven’t felt the pain since then.
I live in America and America tells me that I’m free. America would never lie to me. Because Americas not racist, and Americas not mean. Americans aren’t built from prejudice and greed. America is the home front. In America you can do whatever you want.
It’s all making since to me. America. Home of the brave. Land of the free.
Now I know why the caged bird sings.